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Advice on Showing a Snake at a Workshop

Taybeh Chaser

Taybeh Chaser

New member
The organization I work for does workshops with kids, and part of one of their programs involves bringing in different kinds of animals and talking about the responsibilities involved in taking care of them.

I have been discussing with management the possibility of bringing Zanjibil. I think it would be great for the kids to see a pet snake, especially since it is so unusual for people to keep them here. I think I would just give a short talk about his care and what kind of snake he is, show them how I hold him, and maybe let them gently pet his skin (if their hands are clean).

The trip would probably take about 6 hours total, mostly travel time. We visit distant areas of the West Bank for this project, including places that are hard to get to or far from urban centers, and the workshop itself takes about 2 hours (Z's part would likely be about 10-15 minutes).

I want to ask for advice from anyone who has shown their snake to groups like this before, especially kids. I am also not sure if the trip might be too long for Z--what does everyone think? If not, what are some things I can do to keep him from being stressed out? Does anyone have tips for the actual show (should I decide to do it, that is)?

I should point out that Z usually seems pretty comfortable around people, even groups. I remember one evening some neighborhood kids came by to visit him just as I was about to feed him and wanted to watch, and he ate just fine and did not seem much affected by them (I explained about not handling him after, etc, and I never leave him alone with kids or people I don't know). He's becoming something of a local celebrity ;).
 
We just hosted a snake-themed co-op today for our homeschool group, focused on snakes, and Wadjet did come out to say "hi". I did most of the talking before I took her out, had prepared the kids as far as staying still and quiet, and so on, and she performed like champ. I do think preparing the kids was important, so that they knew how to handle the situation (and that if the snake started to seem upset, I'd be putting her back immediately, period), and I scheduled at a time of day when, for the last several weeks, Wadjet has been out and generally amenable to handling. It worked quite well.

--Donna
 
We had eight of our snakes out to my daughter's school the third week of school to give a presentation to the third grade (four classrooms full of kids) The travel time was insignificant: it was a four-block walk to the school and back. The snakes were each put in smaller travel containers, however (a plastic shoe-box for the largest, appropriate Tupperware containers for the rest. We had feeding bins that we put the snakes in during the presentation so they were a little more visible.

Of the snakes, most were able to be touched. There were a couple (the youngest two) that were brought for display only, and it was made clear to the kids. I gave the talk, once we got to the question portion, my bf actually took the snakes around to the kids to allow them to touch them gently.

It's important to set ground rules if you're going to allow touching, because otherwise, the kids will attempt to mob you. We also brought hand sanitizer and everyone that touched the snakes got a squirt of sanitizer. I did not allow the kids to actually hold the snakes: there were 50 kids at each presentation, and I figured getting passed around would likely stress the snakes more than just being touched. Our two largest (Nox, 660g female; and Angel, 325g female) were the ones we let the kids touch.

It's our second year doing small-ish presentations, and the snakes didn't seem overly stressed either time. If your snake is comfortable around people, he should be fine :)
 
What will the temperatures be like when you are traveling? If cold or hot, will you be able to provide some means of temperature control if your vehicle breaks down?

I would not feed him for five days before the trip. You want him nice and empty, but not hungry enough to feed on children's fingers!

You would want to bring hand sanitizer for the kids.

I would pack him in a snake bag, in a small cooler to protect him from crushing and keep his temperature stable
 
I always put mine in pillowcases, then place them in a cooler with either a hot or cold pack wrapped in a towel. I also bring a digital thermometer with me.
 
Ah, I never thought of the hot/cold packs (we made certain of the temperatures before we took them out)
 
Thanks, and further questions

Thank you all for your advice. I am still debating whether I really want to attempt this. The idea makes me nervous, the more I think about it, though I am hoping if I plan it out very well, I and Zanjibil will both be OK. The length of the trip and the number of kids still worry me a bit. If I do decide to do it, I will prepare all my fellow staff by explaining the advice I've gotten from experienced people (yourselves) on showing snakes, especially regarding the need to keep the audience calm and quiet. These are large groups of kids, many of whom don't get opportunities like these workshops very often, so they can be a handful.

As for the temperature, it is still very warm here, verging on hot some days. I don't yet use an under-tank heater, for instance, but I will be getting one soon, as the weather should get cooler (still not cold exactly) next month.

Questions on how to transport Zanjibil: Is a snake bag similar to a pillow-case? My main worry during October would probably be him getting too hot in the car. If I put him in a cooler, how will I make sure he can breathe? How often should I check the temp in the cooler? Should I bring water and stop during the trip to see if he wants to drink, or will he most likely fall asleep for most of the ride if he's in a small, dark, secure place?
 
Kathy, thanks very much for the link (and advice). It was very informative, and I now feel I have more of a handle on what's involved in traveling with a snake. If I decide to do this, I'll let everyone know how Z's debut goes.
 
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